Gaelic Games

Colin O’Riordan injury mars Tipperary win over Sligo

Home side rally with four of last five scores to secure victory

Tipperary’s Colin O’Riordan, who was stretchered off in the victory over Sligo. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho
Tipperary’s Colin O’Riordan, who was stretchered off in the victory over Sligo. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho
Sun Mar 29 2015 - 19:01

Tipperary 0-15 Sligo 0-13

Tipperary fourth successive victory was overshadowed by a serious injury to Colin O’Riordan.

The 2014 All Star nominee went down clutching his head in the 52nd minute following a Ross Donovan tackle and play was stopped for 17 minutes while O'Riordan received medical attention.

He was stretchered off with what was later confirmed as a neck problem but Tipp still managed to survive that setback to leave Sligo sweating on survival.

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Tipp’s promotion hopes had been extinguished when Armagh and Fermanagh both won but that didn’t stop the Premier County extending their good run.

At half-time, Tipp were a point down, 0-7 to 0-8, having played against a gale. It was a close affair throughout but Tipp rallied decisively at the finish to score four of the game’s final five points.

TIPPERARY: E Comerford; A Campbell, P Codd, R Kiely (0-1); S Kennedy, P Acheson, C O'Riordan (0-1); G Hannigan, S O'Brien; L Casey, P Austin (0-3), I Fahey (0-1); J Lonergan (0-2), C Sweeney (0-5, 0-4 frees), G Mulhair. Subs: B Mulvihill (0-1) for Casey (46), D Dwyer for O'Riordan (55), B Grogan (0-1) for Lonergan, A Morrissey for Campbell (both 70+8), S Flynn for Fahey (70+16), D Lynch for Mulhair (70+20). SLIGO: A Devaney (0-1, free); D Maye, K McDonnell, R Donovan; K Cawley, E Flanagan, B Egan; C Breheny, N Murphy (0-1); N Ewing, M Breheny (0-7, 0-2 frees), C Kearns; D Kelly (0-2), P Hughes, A Marren (0-1). Subs: S Coen for Ewing (BC 25), K Sweeney for Marren (BC 26), S Gilmartin (0-1) for C Breheny (29), J Martyn for Kearns (h-t), P Clarke for Sweeney (70+18). Referee: J Hickey (Carlow).